Two women advanced, in separate high profile legislative primaries in Wisconsin on Tuesday.
In one, a likely successor was chosen for Wisconsin’s – and the nation’s – longest-serving state legislator. The other saw an incumbent who’d admitted to making sexually inappropriate comments to a female staffer lose his reelection bid.
Kelda Roys won Tuesday’s Democratic primary for the 26th State Senate District. With no Republican on the November ballot, she’s all but clinched the seat held by Madison Democrat Fred Risser since 1963.
Roys previously served in the state Assembly and identifies as a progressive. She beat six other primary candidates, including second place finisher Nada Elmikashfi.
In the Green Bay area’s 90th Assembly District, Green Bay School Board member Kristina Shelton crushed state Representative Staush Gruszynski in the Democratic primary.
Gruszynski had been facing criticism from fellow Democrats for months, after the incumbent sexually harassed a Capitol staffer.
With all 25 precincts reporting, Shelton led Gruszynski in votes 3,620 to 971, or about 79% to 21%. She’ll face Republican Drew Kirsteatter in the November general election.